Pianissimo device for grand pianos



Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

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PIANISSIMO DEVICE FOR GRAND PIANOS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1919.

Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

2 sums-sum 2. m 19 Ml 62 3'8 E f; 24 6 I UNITED 'ronn A. HUSSEY,- or

DE Kama, ILL-1N0 IS.

rrnmssmo DEVICE FOR. GRAND; IIANOS.

To. all whom itanay mam Be a known an ,1, JOHN A; Hag ai, a

'citizen of the United States, residin at De Kalb,in thelcounty of De Kalb. and tate of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Pianissimo Device for Grand Pianos, of

which the following isa specification.

My inventionrelates to pianissimo devices for grand pianos, z. 0., pianos in which the strings lie in a horizontal plane and the hammer strokes are substantially vertical, and p the objects of my improvements are first, to reduce the hammer stroke without changing the position of the key; second, to so construct thepianissimo mechanismlthat it can 1 easily be applied to any standard make of I action; third,ito.provide a device ofthe type described in which a normally inclined:

thrust rod is arranged for movement into upright position between a key and an action support tO moVe the latter toward the strings,'and fourth, to make a simple, cheap and durable device.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will'be particu- ,iany' pointed out in the appended claims.

This invention is. an improvement on my invention forming ,the; subject matter of PatentNo. 1,289,449, issued QDecember 31 1918.111 the invention covered by said patent,

' therock shaft which operates the pianissimo forming screw.

device isjlocatedin front of the actionmechr anism, and in this present invention the said rock Ishaftis located below the action and above the key just in frontof the capstan To describe my invention so thatothers versed kin the art to. which it pertains can make and use the same, I have illustrated it on the accompanying two sheets of drawings a part of this specification and in which: r f v i I Figure 1, is a sideelevationof agrand piano action embodying my invention and showing the parts in'normal position for orshowing the, pianissimo devicebrought into action; Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view' of the action shown. inthe normal posit on as p in Fig. 1;F1'g. a, isasimllarrvlew showlng I, the parts the" position which they assume H 3 Specification of Letters Patent. -Pate t d O t 4 1921 V ,fn ue no fiiia- Se tember 27,,19i9. Serial No. 328,046. r I

when the ,pian issimo device is brought into act on as n Fig. 2, and Fig. 5, is a similar y ew showing a modified form of my invenlOIL' Similar reference characters referto simi- 7 hr partsthroughout the several views.

.While I have illustrated and will describe .1.

my, invention in connection with a grand piano action, it will be understood that it 7 can be action. i

The ordinary key frame6 is shownhaving the balance rail 7 onwhich are mounted the keysf8 in the usual manner. The keys 8 applied to any other style of piano are provided with capstan screws 9 and back 1 checks 10 as usual.

.An action rail 11 supports the pivoted ends of the action supports 12 and the rail 13 supports theflanges 14 to which the hammer shanks 15 are pivoted. The hammer rest rail 16 is located asusual in a position to I have the hammer shanks contact with the cushioned upper side thereof. yThe jacks 17 are pivoted at 18 .to. the free ends of the action supports 12, and the repetition levers 19, are pivotally mounted on the middlepon tions of the action supportsin the usual way;

The mechanism thus far described comprises an ordinary grand, piano action and forms no part of my invention.

It is customary'in p anos simo- ,orsoft pedal and when this pedal is depressed with the foot it acts through certainconnections and raises the hammer rest rail 16 a suflicient distance to. lift all the hammers and support them in a position, much closer to the. strings20 than they nor ,mally are. This lifting of the hammersresults in releasing the usual downward pressure on the capstan screws 9 and permits the front enposed ends of the keys to drop in proportion to the raising of the hammers.

This lowering of the keys on the keyboard of the instrument'interferes with the proper production of music. With the use of my invention the hammers are lifted and, re-

tained in a raised position close to the strings 20 without in the least disturbing the position of the keys out of the normal. Thus .there is no interference with the proper pro- 7 duction of music in a piano embodying my invent on.

to have a pianis-.

support and the rear end of-the key near the capstan screw and consists of a thrust rod 21 which has its upper end pivotally connected by a link--22to a flange-on the block 23, and. has its lower end pivotally connected by a link-24to a flange se When the rock shaft 25 is in the position shown in F igs.

cured on a rock shaft 25.

1 and 8, the. post 21 is not erect and is out of contact with both the'action support 12" and the key 8; and when the rock shaft 25 is in'the' position-"shown in :igs; 2" and 4, the post 21 {is'erect and is in contact with both the'a'ction' support -'12 andthe key 8 and is so adjusted in length-that the key will be held in its-normal position when the hammer is raised" to be closeto the string 20.- The rock shaft 25 is moved from its normal position assliown in Figs. 1 and 3,

its operated positionas shown in Figs. and4 by depressingthe'pianissimo or soft pedal. The depressing of the soft pedal, not'shown, movesan' operatingrod 26 upwardly and this rodin turn lifts the hammer restrail 16 whichof cour'se lifts the ham m'ers. Depending from the hammer rest" rail 16, preferably at each end of the action, is an arm 27 rigidly secured to the hammer rail. Each arm 27 isconne'cted adj acentits upper end by a link 28 to the action frame 29, and has-itslower'end pivotally con-1 nec'tedtooiie end of a curved 1ever30 that intermediately' pivoted to the action frame 29 and is in effect'a bell crank. The other end'of each lever 30 is connected by a short link 31 to the free end of a rocker arm 32 rigidly secured to the rock shaft 25.

The parts are so arranged and constructed that when the softp'edal is inits normal, raised position,'the hammers are all in normal position and the rock shaft 25 is in' normal position; 6., in such position that the thrust rod 21 is tilted and out of contact with both the action support 12 and the key 8; and when the soft pedal is depressed, the hammers are all in afraised position close to the strings 20 and the rock'shaft 25 is inan operated position; 6., in'such position that the thrust rod 21 is erect and in contact with both the action" support 12 and the key 8, thus" holding the keyin a'normal position,- although the hammer is in'a raised position.

Suitable mally depress the hammer rest rail 16 and other suitable springs 84 are provided to normally yieldingly depress the upper ends of the thrust rods 21 to insure non-interferencewith the action supports 12. Cush ions and adjustments are provided where ever necessary as [is customary in piano actions.

It willbe noted thatthe parts embodying my invention can readily be applied to springs 83 are provided to .nor-

no interference with any part of the piano case within which the usual piano action is placeds;

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a modified form ofmy invention which may be preferred in some construction of pianos, and which consists in omitting the raising of the hammer rest rail 35, which in this case is shown-"rate rigidly secured to the action frame 29. The rock shaft 25 is operated directly from thepedal1 'od36, theupper' end of whichcontacts with the free end of the rocker arm' 37' rigidly secured to the rock shaft25. Asuitable spring 38 is provided to depress the free" end of the crank arm 37 and the rod 36". I

Having thus'fully described my invention what I claim asnew and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is 1. In combination with the'keys an'dhammer"'action" 'of a' grand piano, said hammer action including ,a'rest-rail, an action frame, andan action support, a pianissi'mo device comprising an operating rod for raising the hammer rest rail, a" depending arm carried "by therest rail, a rock shaft journaled in the action" frame; afrocker arm carried by'said rock shaft, a thrust rod for each key," means for movably' supporting, the thrust rod betweenth'e' key and th'e support normally out of contact with both and for connecting the thrust rodfwith the rock shaft, and a lever and link device connecting therocker arm and the fsaid depending arm, whereby the rock is' operated whenever the hammer-rest rail is raised, so that the'thrust 'rod is movedinto vertical 105 position between thekey and its action support to support the latter.

2. InTeombinatiomwith the keysand hammer "action" of a grand pian'o, said hammer action including are's't' rail, an action frame, 110 and "an action support, a pianissimo device comprising thrust rods 'movably supported between the respective keys and the corre'' sponding supportsand normally out of contact with both supports and keys, and means 115 arranged between ther'est rail and the said thrustrods for'movin'g'sai'd thrust rods into contact with the keys and the supports for supporting the latter in adjusted positions.

3. Incom'binationwi'th the keys and ham- 120 mer action of a grand piano, said hammer" action including a restrail, an action frame,

vand an 'actionsupport, a pianissimo device key, a

connected with said rock shaft, and means subscribing witnesses, this 31st day of July, for operating the rocker arm to occasion the 1919, at De Kalb, Illinois.

movement of said thrust rods into contact i with both keys and the corresponding sup- 7 JOHN HUSSEY' 5 ports. Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have signed my JOHN A. DOWDALL,

name to this specification in presence of two RIOHD. J. JAOKER. 

